Parcel post singulating and orienting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A singulating and orienting apparatus for handling a plurality of multisided items, with each item having an identifiable mark (a special stamp) located in one quadrant on one side thereof. The apparatus includes a plurality of conveyors designed to singulate or space the items along a main conveyor belt. Scanning means are used to search for the identifiable mark as the items are moved on said main belt. Conveyor-type manipulating means acting under control of signals from the scanning means rotate the items about their own horizontal and vertical axes, if necessary, so as to orient the side containing the mark in a predetermined orientation on the main belt. Optical quadrature scanning means then search the oriented side to locate the mark in a particular quadrant thereon, and, thereafter, the item is rotated about its horizontal axis, if necessary, to position the quadrant containing the mark in a particular orientation on the main belt. The scanning means are operated in &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;phosphorescent&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;fluorescent&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; modes to detect the identifiable mark.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Donald F. Zimmerle Dayton; Horace W.Weeks, Bellhrook; Robert E. Fheher, Dayton, all of, 01:10 [21) Appl. No.795,588 [22] Filed Jan.31,1969 [45] Patented July 13, 1971 [73] AssigneeThe National Cash Register Company Dayton, Ohio [54] PARCEL POSTSINGULATING AND ORIENTING APPARATUS 26 Claims, 25 Drawing Figs.

[52) [1.8. CI. 198/33 R 5| in. C1 B653 37/00 [50] Fleld of Searchl98/D1G. 16, 33, 33 R 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,895,588 7/1959 Van Marie... 198/33 (R1) 2,914,161 11/1959 B1ack,Jr. eta1.. 198/33 (R1) 2,973,608 3/1961 Killion l98/33(R2)X 2,997,187 8/1961Burt 198/33 (R2) X 3,085,696 4/1963 Stainforth etal. 198/33 (R2))(3,128,868 4/1964 Bowen 198/33 (R2) FOREIGN PATENTS 675,556 7/1952 GreatBritain 198/33 (R3) Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza AssistantExaminer- Frank E. Werner Auorneys- Louis A. Kline, Albert L. Sesslerand Elmer Wargo ABSTRACT: A singulating and orienting apparatus forhandling a plurality of multisided items, with each item having anidentifiable mark (a special stamp) located in one quadrant on one sidethereof. The apparatus includes a plurality of conveyors designed tosingulate or space the items along a main conveyor belt. Scanning meansare used to search for the identifiable mark as the items are moved onsaid main belt. Conveyor-type manipulating means acting under control ofsignals from the scanning means rotate the items about their ownhorizontal and vertical axes, if necessary, so as to orient the sidecontaining the mark in a predetermined orientation on the main belt.Optical quadrature scanning means then search the oriented side tolocate the mark in a particular quadrant thereon, and, thereafter, theitem is rotated about its horizontal axis, ifnecessary, to position thequadrant containing the mark in a particular orientation on the mainbelt. The scanning means are operated in "phosphorescent" andfluorescent" modes to detect the identifiable mark.

PATENIED JUL 1 3 ma SHEET 01 0F 17 THEIR ATTORNE YS PATENIEUJULI am:3.592.326

sum 02 or 17 INVENTORS HORACE W. WEEKS 8 ROBERT E. FISCHER mam ATTOR EYSDONALD E ZIMMERLE,

PATENIEU JUL 1 3 IQTI SHEEI 0k 0F 17 FIG. 7

r '1 J ,.V 1 E E? i a mvemons DONALD E zmueme, HORACE w. WEEKS 8- ROBERTe. FISCHER THEIR ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUL 1 3|9Tl 3 592,325

saw us or 17 INVENTORS DONALD E ZIMMERLE, HORACE W. WEEKS a ROBERT E.FISCHER THEIR ATTOR EYS FIG. I40

PATENIED JUL 1 3 I9?! 52 g, 220 v. g y F! I56 M SHEET PCE-l mvemonsDONALD E ZIMMERLE, HORACE w. WEEKS & ROBERT E. FISCHER a THEOR ATTORNZSPATENIEU JUL 1 3 l9?! saw as 0F 11 lIT INVENTORS DONALD F. ZIMMERLE,HORACE W. WEEKS 6 ROBERT E. FISCHER THEIR ATTORNEYS BY f /7 QQN [TILlllllllllllllllll llLllilLv i PATENTEI] JUL 1 3 l9?! sum 13 or 17ZIMMERLE Jdzmzm Ind m mtmomiou INVENTORS DONALD F. HORACE W. WEEKS 8ROBERT E. H552L uh 0 0252mm In 0504 mm M0011 moo:

uua zo:. pom 35:: 32032 3.: m2;

THEIR ATTOZNEYS PATENIED JUL 1 3 l97l SHEET 17 0F 17 FIG. l8

o rmgsecouosL 9 p XDISTANCE IN. HHLHYY I20 PPS 800 798 802Luunmumuuuumuuuumnuumnn PARCEL FLOW I O l z 481 lllllllllllll xCOORDINATE 0 I INVENTORS DONALD E ZIMMERLE.

HORACE W. WEEKS 8 ROBERT E. FISCHER THEIR ATTORNEYS PARCEL POSTSINGULATING AND ORIENTING APPARATUS This invention was developed under acontract with the Post Office Department of the United States ofAmerica.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a singulating andorienting apparatus for handling a plurality of multisided items, witheach item having an identifiable mark located in one quadrant on oneside thereof, so as to position the side of the item containing the markand said quadrant in a predetermined orientation.

The Post Office Department is faced with the problem of handling anunrelenting increase in the volume of mail in an environment ofincreasing labor costs. To intensify the problem, the mailing publicexpects and demands prompt delivery of mailed items. As intercitytransportation times are reduced by faster transportation means, thetime consumed in handling mailed items at terminal and distributionpoints is becoming an increasingly larger proportion of the totalmailing time.

In parcel handling, as well as other phases of mail service,mechanization of item-handling techniques appears to be the mostsatisfactory way to abate the problem ofincreasing handling times andlabor costs.

The present invention was developed to provide an ap paratus foraccepting a plurality of multisided items (like parcels) of varyingsizes and shapes, at an input hopper, and for discharging said items ona conveyor so that a particular side (like an address side) is properlyoriented so as to enable an operator to read the address. The operatormay have additional means (not a part of this invention) for controllingthe destination of the items according to the addresses thereon.Alternately, the items may be fed into an electro-optical address readerto route the items according to control data thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a singulating andorienting apparatus for handling a plurality of multisided items, witheach item having an identifiable mark located in one quadrant in oneside thereof. The apparatus comprises handling means including a movingplatform for receiving said items and for arranging them in spaced,single-file relationship on the platform. There are scanning meanspositioned near the moving platform, which scanning means are adapted toview selected sides of the items (as they pass thereby on the movingplatform) in search for the mark. In the embodiment disclosed herein,the mark used is a special postage stamp.

The invention also includes item-manipulating means which are responsiveto the scanning means and which are adapted to withdraw selected itemsfrom the moving platform and rotate them, when necessary, about theirown vertical and horizontal axes and return them to the moving platform,so as to position the side containing the mark in a predeterminedorientation thereon.

The invention also includes quadrature scanning means, positioned alongsaid moving platform, which scanning means is adapted to scan theoriented side of the item containing the mark to determine in whatquadrant the mark is located. Additional item'manipulating meanswithdraw selected items from the moving platform, when necessary, androtate said selected items about a vertical axis in response to saidquadrature scanning means and return them to the moving platform, so asto orient the mark in a predetermined orientation thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. la and lb taken togetherconstitute a plan view of the apparatus of this invention, showing thegeneral arrangement of the item-singulating means, the item-manipulatingmeans for rotating the items about horizontal and vertical axis, andvarious scanning means used with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a general perspective view of one of the itemmanipulatingmeans for rotating an item about a horizontal axis which is aligned withthe length of the conveyor and is depicted as viewed from the generaldirection indicated by the arrow marked A-Z in FIG. la.

FIG. 3 is a general perspective view of one of the itemmanipulatingmeans for rotating an item about a vertical axis which is perpendicularto the conveyor and is depicted as viewed from the general directionindicated by the arrow marked A-3 in FIG. la.

FIG. 4 is a general perspective view ofa portion of the itemsingulatingmeans and is depicted as viewed from the general direction indicated bythe arrow marked A-4 in FIG. la.

FIG. 5 is a general perspective view ofa portion of the item singulatingmeans showing counterrotating discs and a narrow conveyor belt, and isdepicted as viewed from the general direction indicated by the arrowmarked A-S in FIG. 10.

FIG. 6 is a general perspective view of the entrance side of the housingfor one of the scanning means and is depicted as viewed from the generaldirection indicated by the arrow marked A-6 in FIG. la.

FIG. '7 is a front elevational view of the entrance side of the housingshown in FIG. 6, with certain portions of the housing removed to showthe scanning means therein.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the right side of the housing andscanning means shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of thescanning means shown in FIG. 8, showing more details thereof.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the scanning means and is takenalong the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an end view, in elevation, of the right end of the scanningmeans shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view (similar to FIGS. la and lb) showing anitem as it is sensed by the scanning means and rotated by the variousitem-manipulating means of this invention.

FIG. [3 is a chart showing a Truth Table and various logic equationsused in conjunction with the layout shown in FIG. 12.

FIGS. 14a to Md inclusive, when taken together, show a portion of thecircuit means for controlling the apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram, in block form, of another portion of thecircuit means for controlling the apparatus of this invention, showingthe means for energizing the various diverters along the length of themain conveyor belt.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram, in block form, of another portion of thecircuit means for controlling the apparatus of this invention, showingparticularly the circuitry associated with the various scanning means.

FIGS. l7a to 17d inclusive, when taken together, show a timing chartused with the invention, and also show the Y coordinate logic for the Ydirection, which is across the width of the main belt.

FIG. 18 is a timing chart for the X coordinate logic for the Xdirection, which is along the length of the main belt and perpendicularto the Y direction, and which chart is associated with the timing chartshown in FIGS. to ]7d inclusive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. loand lb, taken together,show a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus (designated generally as40) of this invention, which is used for singulating and orienting aplurality of multisided items of varying sizes, with each item having anidentifiable mark located in a quadrant of one side thereof, so as toposition the side of the item containing the markand said quadrant in apredetermined orientation. In theembodiment disclosed herein,: the itemsinclude a variety of parcel post packagesiofditlferent sizes andshapes,,like parcels 42 and 64 (shown in FIG. 2) and parcels 46 and 48(shown in FIG. 3). The identifiable mark mentioned is found in a specialstamp 50, located in one quadrant of the parcel, as shown on the parcel42 shown in FIG. 2. The special nature of the stamp 50 will be discussedlater herein. Because the apparatus 40 is complex and involved, it willbe described only generally at first, and. as the need arises.additional details relating to it will be described.

The items or parcels to be stored by the apparatus 40 of FIGS. la and lbare received as a random collection ofparcels which are dumped from atruck or other conveyance onto a storage belt conveyor 52, which isconventional in construc tion and has vertically positioned sides 54 and56 secured to a stationary frame (not shown), which sides retain theparcels on the conveyor. The right-hand end of the conveyor 52 (asviewed in FIG. la) is lower than the left-hand end, which rises todischarge the parcels onto a chute or slide 58, whose lefthand end (asviewed in FIG. la) is lower than its righbhand end. The parcels slidingdown the slide 58 are discharged into a conventional conveyor markedinduction belt GI and designated as 60. The storage belt 52 is drivenconventionally by a motor M1, and, similarly, the induction belt 60 isdriven by a motor M2. A light source 62 is positioned on one side of theslide 58 and is directed at a photoelectric cell marked PCH and locatedon the opposite side of the slide 58. The light source 62 and thephotoelectric cell PCH are positioned about. an inch above the slide 58to control the flow of parcels on the induction belt 60 in conjunctionwith circuit means to be described later. The belt 60 is positioned at aright angle to the slide 58. The linear speed of the induction belt 60is considerably greater than that of the storage conveyor belt 52. Thisprovides a separating and spreading-out effect on the parcels enteringthe induction belt 60.

The induction belt 60 has stationary sides 64 and 66 (FIG. la) securedto frame means (not shown) to retain the parcels thereon, and. inaddition, has deflector plates 68 and 70 secured to the sides 64 and 66,respectively. One of the sides 66 and deflector plate 70 are shown inmore detail in FIG. 4. The purpose of these deflector plates 68 and 70is to deflect the parcels as they progress on the belt 60. so as toposition the parcels close to the center of the belt. They also aid insingulating the parcels, or placing them in a single file. The induction belt 60 also has a light source 72 positioned on one side thereof,and the light source 72 is directed at a photoelectric cell, marked PCE,which is located on the opposite side of the belt. The photoelectriccell PCE is used to control the flow of parcels onto an induction belt02, designated 74, by circuit means to be described later. The linearvelocity of the induc tion belt 02, 74, is greater than that of theinduction belt as previously described, tending to further spreadparcels out and align them in the direction of the motion of theinduction belt 02.

The induction belt 02, designated as 74 in FIG. la and positionedorthogonally to the belt 60, is a conventional conveyor belt which isdriven conventionally by a motor marked M3. The belt 74 has stationarysides 76 and 78 associated with it, as shown, to retain the parcelsthereon. These sides 76 and 78 are secured to frame means (not shown),and the side 78 has two deflector members 80 and 82 thereon, as bettershown in FIG. 4. The deflector member 82, which is secured to thedeflector member 80, is triangular in cross section and has an edge 84,which is inclined at a diverging angle from the top of the belt 74 asrelated to a parcel progressing downstream along the belt 74. Thedeflector member 82 facilitates rotating parcels onto a more stable sideas they progress downstream along the length ofthe belt 74. For example,a parcel (like 42 shown in FIG. 2) which might be supported on onenarrow edge thereof on the belt 74 would be deflected by the deflectormember 82 (FIG. 4) to cause it to assume the position shown in FIG. 2,in which it rests on a more stable side. This is desirable. as the stampis generally secured to a stable side of a parcel. The deflector member80 is used to position the parcels near the center of the belt 74, aspreviously explained.

From the belt 74, the parcels already partially separated and singulatedare fed to a pair of counterrotating discs 86 and 88.

The purpose of the discs 86 and 88, shown in FIGS. la, 4, and 5, is toalign the center of the parcels received from the induction belt 74 withthe center of a narrow belt 90. The discs are rotated in oppositedirections by a conventional motor drive means M4 (FIG. 10) and arespaced apart to receive a small center belt 92 therebetween. Theadjacent sides of the discs 86 and 88 move at a higher peripheral speedthan the speed ofthe belt 74, so as to direct the parcels away from thebelt 74. The small center belt 92 is driven conventionally by a motor M5and provides a positive forward motion to the parcels on the discs 86and 88. If two or more parcels enter these discs at the same time, theywill interfere with the centering action of each other, and one or bothof the parcels will fall off the narrow belt onto the slides 94 and 96(FIG. la), which deliver the parcels to adjacent conveyor belts 98 and100, which conventionally deposit these parcels on a return conveyorbelt 202. The conveyor belts 98, 100, and 102 are conventionally drivencontinuously by a motor M13, and the belt 102 is used to return theparcels to the storage belt 52, where the parcels reenter the system.The narrow belt 92 is driven conventionally by a motor M6 (FIG. la),which is a rapid, start-stop motor. Two light sources I04 and 106 andassociated photoelectric cells PCB and PCA, respectively, (FIG. la) areused to control the operation of the start-stop motor M6 by controlmeans to be described later. By starting and stopping the narrow belt 90at controlled times, the parcels are positioned synchronously on a mainconveyor belt 108 (at a definite linear position on the belt 108). Afterone parcel is deposited on the main belt 108, the departure of the nextparcel to leave the narrow belt 90 is delayed, so that the next parcelis spaced at a prescribed distance from the previous parcel by circuitmeans to be described later. The action of the discs 86 and 88, inconjunction with the action of the small center belt 92 and the narrowbelt 90, produces an action on the parcels which tends to align themwith their long dimensions positioned along the direction oftravel.

After the singulation of the parcels, just described, the parcels aredeposited on the main belt 108 in a predetermined spaced, singlefilerelationship. In the embodiment described, the parcels are spacedapproximately 48 inches apart as measured from front edge to front edgeof adjacent parcels. The belt 108 is driven conventionally by a motor M7(FIG. In), so as to maintain its velocity at approximately 48 inches persecond. At this rate, parcels move along the belt 108 at approximatelyone per second. Because of parcel dropoff at the narrow belt 90, theactual discharge rate of parcels at the end of the main belt 308 (FIG.10) is slightly less than one per second.

Once the parcels are positioned on the main belt 108 (FIGS. la and lb),in the spaced, single-file relationship generally described, it isnecessary to search for that side of the parcels containing theidentifiable mark. Scanning means positioned along the main belt 108search for the mark, and manipulating means are used to withdrawselected parcels from the belt, rotate the parcels as required topresent hitherto-unscanned sides to additional scanning means, andreturn the withdrawn parcels to the main belt. After the side containingthe mark is placed in a predetermined orientation (up on the main belt108), a final scanning means is used to determine in what particularquadrant of the side the mark lies. Additional manipu lating means aresimilarly used to orient the mark in a predetermined way by the time theparcel containing the mark reaches the end of the main belt 108.

The first of the scanning means mentioned is designated S, and islocated near the beginning of the main belt 108 (FIG. la). The scanningmeans S is enclosed in a housing 110 (like the one shown in FIG. 6),which has an entrance opening I12, through which the parcels pass asthey are moved onto the housing on the main belt I08. The exit opening(not shown) is located on the opposite side of the housing. Bothentrance and exit openings in the housing 110 are provided with conven-

1. A singulating and orienting apparatus for handling a plurality ofmultisided items, with each item having an identifiable mark located inone quadrant on one side thereof, said apparatus comprising: handlingmeans, including a moving platform, for receiving said items and forarranging them in spaced, single-file relationship on said platform,scanning means positioned near said platform and adapted to viewselected sides of said items as they pass thereby on said platform tosearch for said mark; and item-manipulating means operative in responseto said scanning means for withdrawing a selected item from saidplatform and for rotating it about its own vertical and horizontal axes,when necessary, and for returning said item to said platform so as toposition said side containing said mark in a predetermined orientationthereon; said handling means comprising: at least one conveyor means formoving said items towards said moving platform, which has an input endand an output end; a pair of discs adapted to be rotated in oppositedirections and to receive the items from said conveyor means; and anarrow belt means located downstream from said discs and upstream fromsaid moving platform; said discs having driving means for rotating themin opposite directions so that an item received by said discs will tendto be centered thereon and driven onto said narrow belt means; saidnarrow belt means being aligned with said moving platform so as toenable said belt means to discharge items carried thereby onto the inputend of said moving platform.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 inwhich said narrow belt means is sufficiently narrow for the items beinghandled thereby so as to support only those items which aresubstantially centered thereon by said discs, those items notsubstantially centered on said belt means having a tendency to fallthereoff.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said handlingmeans further comprises: means for driving said narrow belt means; andcontrol means for energizing said means for driving said narrow beltmeans so as to transfer the items carried thereby to said input end ofsaid moving platform in timed relationship therewith.
 4. The apparatusas claimed in claim 1 in which said conveyor means further comprisesdeflector means positioned at the sides of said conveyor means so as toaid in positioning said items carried thereby in the center thereof andso as to deflect said items so that they come to rest on one of theirmore stable sides for those items which have stable and unstable sides.5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said handling meansfurther comprises recirculating means for retrieving those items fallingoff said narrow belt means and for recycling them through said handlingmeans.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said discs haveaxes of rotation which are vertical, and in which said discs lie in aplane which is substantially parallel to a plane in which said narrowbelt means lies, said handling means also including a narrow center beltmeans positioned between adjacent peripheries of said discs so as toassist in the transfer of items from said discs to said narrow beltmeans.
 7. A singulating and orienting apparatus for handling a pluralityof multisided items, with each item having an identifiable mark locatedin one quadrant on one side thereof, said apparatus comprising: handlingmeans, including a moving platform, for receiving said items and forarranging them in spaced, single-file relationship on said platform,scanning means positioned near said platform and adapted to viewselected sides of said items as they pass thereby on said platform tosearch for said mark; and item-manipulating means operative in responseto said scanning means for withdrawing a selected item from saidplatform and for rotating it about its own vertical and horizontal axes,when necessary, and for returning said item to said platform so as toposition said side containing said mark in a predetermined orientationthereon; said item-manipulating means including first and secondmanipulating means; said first manipulating means including firstendless belt means and a first diverter means for transferring selecteditems from said moving platform to said first endless belt means; saidfirst endless belt means being adapted to rotate an item transferredthereto about a horizontal axis through an angle of 90* and to returnthe item so transferred to said moving platform; and said secondmanipulating means including a second diverter means, and beingeffective to rotate an item transferred thereto by said second divertermeans, about the item''s own vertical axis through an angle of 90* andto return the item so transferred to said moving platform.
 8. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said first endless belt meansis positioned along a side of said moving platform and has an upstreamroller and a downstream roller on which said first endless belt means issupported, said upstream roller being horizontally positioned and saiddownstream roller being vertically positioned so as to produce a 90*twist in said first endless belt means, to effect the 90* rotation of anitem transferred thereto; said endless belt means having means fordriving one of said upstream and downstream rollers.
 9. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 8 in which said downstream roller is driven and inwhich the speed thereof is such as to enable said first endless beltmeans to move an item transferred thereto at a velocity so as toreposition said last-named item on said moving platform at a locationthereon which location the item would have occupied had it not beentransferred therefrom.
 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in whichsaid second manipulating means comprises: a 90* conveyor section havingan input end and an output end and means for driving said section; inputbelt means for receiving an item transferred from said moving platformand for delivering it to the input end of said conveyor section; saiddiverter means associated with said second manipulating means beingadapted for transferring an item from said moving platform to said inputbelt means; and an output belt means for receiving an item from theoutput end of said conveyor section and returning it to said movingplatform.
 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said 90*conveyor section, input belt means, and output belt means are driven atspeeds so as to enable an item transferred thereto to be repositioned onsaid moving platform at substantially the same location thereon whichthe item would have occupied had it not been transferred therefrom. 12.The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said scanning means includefirst, second, and third scanning means positioned along the length ofsaid moving platform, each of the first, second, and third scanningmeans having a housing which has entrance and exit openings thereinthrough which an item may pass while being transported on said movingplatform; said first, second, and third scanning means and saiditem-manipulating means being positioned along said moving platform asfollows: said first scanning means being located near said input end ofsaid moving platform and being adapted to scan the left and top sides ofan item as viewed from a viewing point looking downstream along themoving platform and looking at the entrance openings of said first,second, and third scanning means; one of said first manipulating meansbeing positioned downstream from said first scanning means and adaptedto rotate an item transferred thereto in a counterclockwise direction,as viewed from said viewing point, for said angle of 90*; said secondscanning means being positioned downstream from said last-named firstmanipulating means, and adapted to scan the right and top sides of anitem passing therethrough as viewed from said viewing point; one of saidsecond manipulating means being positioned downstream from saidlast-named second scanning means and adapted to rotate an itemtransferred thereto in a clockwise direction as viewed from said viewingpoint for said angle of 90*; said third scanning means being positioneddownstream from said last-named second manipulating means and adapted toscan the left and top sides of an item passing therethrough as viewedfrom said viewing point; one of said first manipulating means beingpositioned downstream from said third scanning means and adapted torotate an item transferred thereto in a clockwise direction as viewedfrom said viewing point for said angle of 90*; and one of saId firstmanipulating means being positioned downstream from said last-namedfirst manipulating means and adapted to rotate an item transferredthereto in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from said viewingpoint for said angle of 90*.
 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 inwhich said mark has matter therein which will fluoresce when subjectedto light energy and which will also phosphoresce when said energy isremoved therefrom, each said first, second, and third scanning meanshaving detection means therein to detect said mark and to operate influorescent, phosphorescent, and reflective modes.
 14. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 13 in which each said first, second, and third scanningmeans has an ultraviolet energy source means therein adapted toilluminate the appropriate sides of an item to be scanned by theassociated scanning means, said detection means of each of said first,second, and third scanning means having a first photosensor means forreceiving light energy from said mark when operating in said fluorescentmode, and also having a second photosensor means for receiving lightenergy from said mark when operating in said phosphorescent mode, saidenergy source means being deenergized during said phosphorescent mode.15. A singulating an orienting apparatus for handling a plurality ofmultisided items, with each item having an identifiable mark located inone quadrant on one side thereof, said apparatus comprising: handlingmeans, including a moving platform, for receiving said items and forarranging them in spaced, single-file relationship on said platform,scanning means positioned near said platform and adapted to viewselected sides of said items as they pass thereby on said platform tosearch for said mark; item-manipulating means operative in response tosaid scanning means for withdrawing a selected item from said platformand for rotating it about its own vertical and horizontal axes, whennecessary, and for returning said item to said platform so as toposition said side containing said mark in a predetermined orientationthereon; quadrature scanning means located along said platformdownstream of said item-manipulating means and adapted to determine inwhich quadrant said mark is located; and second item-manipulating meansoperative in response to said quadrature scanning means for rotating anitem, when necessary, about its vertical axis so as to orient said markin a predetermined orientation with reference to said platform.
 16. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 15 in which said scanning means havedetection means for operating in fluorescent, phosphorescent, andreflective modes.
 17. A singulating and orienting apparatus for handlinga plurality of multisided items, which each item having an identifiablemark located in a quadrant on one side thereof, said device comprising:first handling means for receiving said items in a random order; secondhandling means for receiving said items from said first handling meansand for arranging said items in spaced single-file relationship thereon;an endless conveyor means having a receiving end and a discharge end,and driving means for driving said conveyor means at a constantvelocity; control means for controlling the operation of said first andsecond handling means so as to discharge said items onto said receivingend of said conveyor means in timed relationship therewith; a pluralityof scanning means positioned along the length of said conveyor means forsearching for said mark on each item being transported thereon; at leastone first manipulating means acting in response to said scanning meansfor withdrawing a selected item from said conveyor means and forrotating it approximately 90* about a horizontal axis of said item andfor returning it to said conveyor means so as to present to a subsequentscanning means at least one side of said selected item hitherto unseenby a preceding scanning mEans; and at least one second manipulatingmeans acting in response to certain of said scanning means forwithdrawing a selected item from said conveyor means and for rotating itapproximately 90* about a vertical axis of said item and for returningit to said conveyor means so as to present to a subsequent scanningmeans at least one side of said selected item hitherto unseen by apreceding scanning means; said first and second manipulating means andsaid plurality of scanning means being adapted to orient each saidselected item so as to place that side of the item containing the markin a predetermined orientation on said conveyor means as the itemsprogress downstream thereon.
 18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 inwhich said plurality of scanning means include first, second, and thirdscanning means positioned along the length of said conveyor means, eachof said first, second, and third scanning means having a housing whichhas entrance and exit openings therein through which an item may passwhile being transported on said conveyor means, said housing havingmeans for making it substantially lightproof as said items passtherethrough.
 19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 in which each ofsaid first, second, and third scanning means has detection means thereinto detect said mark and to operate in fluorescent, phosphorescent, andreflective modes, said fluorescent and reflective modes occurring at thesame point in time.
 20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 in whichsaid first, second, and third scanning means having shift register meansassociated therewith for transferring information about said items fromsaid first to said second and third scanning means, and for transferringinformation about said items from said second to said third scanningmeans.
 21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20 in which said first,second, and third scanning means have means for determining the lengthof said items passing therethrough.
 22. The apparatus as claimed inclaim 17 further comprising: quadrature scanning means locateddownstream from said first and second manipulating means and saidplurality of scanning means, and being adapted to determine in whichquadrant said mark is located; and third manipulating means acting inresponse to said quadrature scanning means for rotating said items abouta vertical axis, when necessary, so as to orient said mark in apredetermined orientation with reference to said conveyor means.
 23. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 22 in which said quadrature scanning meanshas second detection means for operating in fluorescent, phosphorescent,and reflective modes.
 24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in whichsaid second detection means has circuit means for determining the lengthof an item as measured along the length of said conveyor means, and fordetermining the width of said item as measured across the width of saidconveyor means, and for determining the location of said mark relativeto said length and width of said item.
 25. A singulating and orientingapparatus for handling a plurality of multisided items, with each itemhaving an identifiable mark located on one side thereof, comprising: anendless conveyor means and means for driving it at a constant velocity;means for delivering said items to the input end of said conveyor meansin timed relationship therewith so as to position said items in spaced,predetermined locations on said conveyor means; scanning meanspositioned along said conveyor means for searching for said mark;item-manipulating means adapted to rotate said items about their ownvertical and horizontal axes, when necessary, so as to position saidmark in a predetermined orientation with reference to said conveyormeans; and control means operatively connecting said scanning means withsaid item-manipulating means so as to interpret the output from saidscanning means and actuate said item-manipulating means so aS to effectsaid predetermined orientation of said mark with reference to saidconveyor means; said scanning means including at least one scanning unitcomprising: a housing positioned at said conveyor means and havingentrance and exit openings through which an item may pass while beingtransported on said conveyor means; light source means within saidhousing adapted to illuminate at least one side of an item passingtherethrough; and a scanning member means positioned within said housingand adapted to scan at least said one side of said item passingtherethrough; said scanning member means comprising: first and secondlight-responsive members; rotating mirror means adapted to scan at leastsaid one side of an item to obtain information thereon; and an opticalimaging system adapted to transfer said information from said rotatingmirror means to said first and second light-responsive members toproduce an output therefrom; the output from said first and secondlight-responsive members being used by said control means to operate influorescent, phosphorescent, and reflective modes.
 26. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 25 in which said scanning member means furthercomprises: a standardization lamp adapted to provide a standardizationsignal to said first and second light-responsive members for saidfluorescent, phosphorescent, and reflective modes; and a timing discmeans associated with said rotating mirror means and adapted to providea clocking pulse for said control means.